What The Hell Is Zen?

its tenets

Like other schools of Buddhism, Zen is founded on the Four Noble Truths: 1- Suffering and unhappiness exist and they're pervasive in life. 2- The cause of suffering is the desire for things and to make life fit one's presumptions of what it should be like. 3- Suffering can end by ending desire, which can be achieved by following the fourth Truth. 4- One must follow the Eightfold Path to achieve nirvana , or enlightenment.

The Eightfold Path prescribes certain actions to end desire and suffering. Briefly, it reveals the following:

The first and second paths relate to having the right views and understanding the mind, namely with proper understanding of the Buddha's methods.

The third, fourth and fifth paths are suggestions of prudence, relating to proper speech, conduct, and vocation.

meditation

Zen meditation is called zazen , and it is nothing more than sitting. Just sitting, relaxing, and expelling your mind of distracting thoughts (it's much more difficult to accomplish than you might think). Usually this is done with controlled breathing or with mantras, repeated words meant to drown out insurgent thoughts.

In addition to meditation, Zen is practiced with the use of koans , or riddles to help the Zen student find the truth behind everyday situations. But unlike conventional riddles, koans cannot be solved using rational reason. In fact, they are meant to shock the student into abandoning reason and his habitual responses to the world and reality.

rising popularity

Zen became popular in North America when, in the '30s, Daisetz T. Suzuki wrote Western-friendly treatises on Buddhism. Since then it has grown throughout the continent, with a marked explosion in the last 20 years. Proof of this is in the newfound trendiness of Zen, seized even by marketers: "Art and the Zen of losing weight," "The Zen of kitchen storage," "The Zen guide to network administrating," and so forth.

Most popular in ber-hip California, Zen schools can be found in nearly every major city in North America and Europe.

banish your blues

As its founding principles state, Zen Buddhism is a path to eliminate suffering and discontent from a person's life. While this is a lofty promise, the path to Zen comes loaded with extras.

For instance, Zen forces a person to re-examine the preconceptions and prejudices that have been burned into him from birth. It helps him step out of his egoistic self to better understand his true Self. It helps detach his sense of satisfaction and fulfillment from things and situations over which he has no control, freeing him form outside influences, and giving him a firmer handle on who he is.

And since outside forces have reduced power over him, he is less susceptible to stress, nervous breakdowns, and anger. He is, in essence, more "Zen."